Electrical connector



Dec. 28, 1954 J. TURNER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 11, 1950 UnitedStates Patent ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I0hn L. Turner, East St. Louis, 11].,assignor, by mesue assignments, to A. B. Chance Company, Centralia, Mo.,a corporation of Missouri Application October 11, 1950, Serial No.189,611

6 Claims. (Cl. 339-109) This invention relates to electrical connectors,and more particularly to line taps such as are called hot line clampsespecially adapted for application to a live electrical line in anelectric power distribution system.

The object of the invention is the provision of an electric line tap orhot line clamp which is especially adapted for application to andremoval from a live or hot overhead power line, using a conventionallinemans hot line stick, without danger of damaging the line, in suchmanner that a power line may be readily and frequently tapped withoutsubjecting the line to the danger of damage due to repeated arcing.Heretofore, it has been the usual, practice in tapping a hot line toattach a tap-off wire to a clamp of a type prior to this invention, andto apply the clamp directly to the line with a hot line stick. In manyinstances, arcing occurring between the line and the clamp in the courseof applying the clamp to the line. resulted in severe burning or pittingof the line. Such arcing and damage also occurred upon-removal of theclamp. This invention provides a novel type of hot line clamp which maybe applied to a hot line with a conventional hot line stick withouthaving a tap-ofi wire connected thereto, the clamp having an electricalconnector member to which a tapoff wire may be subsequently connected,again using a hot line stick, by means of another and auxiliary hot lineclamp, which may be of any suitable prior type of clamp, all in suchmanner that any damage due to areing is inflicted upon the connectormember rather than upon the line. The connector member is detachablymounted upon the clamp so that, if it should be severely damaged byarcing, it may be removed and a new connector member applied. Otherfeatures will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.-

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and I arrangements of parts whichwill be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

I in the accompanying drawing, in which one of vari ous possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. l is a plan view of a hot line clamp embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the clamp;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the clamp as applied to' a linewire, illustrating in dotted lines an auxiliary hot line clamp by meansof which a tap-0E wire is connected;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 5 is a perspective of an alternative type of clamp nut that may beused.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, wherein one specific embodiment of theinvention is illustrated, reference character 1 generally refers to aclamp for application to a bare live wire L (Fig. 3), the clamp havingjaws 3 and 5 which are pivotally connected together by means of a pivotpin 7. The jaw 3, which is the upper jaw as the clamp is applied to aline wire and as illustrated m Fig. 3, has depending side flanges 9receiving the ends of the pivot pin 7, and the lower jaw 5 fits looselybetween these flanges. Adjacent their free ends, the jaws 3 and 5 areformed with opposed recesses 11 and 13, respectively, extending parallelto the pivot pm 7, for

2,698,422 Patented Dec. 28, 1954 receiving the line wire L. As shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the jaws 3 and 5 have teeth 15 and 17, respectively, attheir free ends which interdigitate when the jaws are closed on lineWires of relatively small diameter. Both jaws 3 and 5 andthe pin 7 aremade of metal which is a good electrical conductor, such as brass orhigh conductivity bronze.

At 19 is shown a clamp bolt, preferably of bronze, having a head 21above or outward of the upper jaw 3, the shank of the bolt extendingthrough an opening 23 in the upper jaw, with a fairly close fit in thisopening, and then extending through an opening 25 in the lower jaw 5.The opening 25 is of such form as to allow pivotal movement of the lowerjaw relative to the upper jaw, being in the form of a slot extendingtransversely to the pivot pin 7. Also, as shown, the opening or slot 25is in a boss 27 on the bottom or outer side of the lower jaw 5, the bosshaving its end convexly curved as indicated at 29. A nut 31 is threadedon the lower end of the bolt below the lower jaw 5, a flat washer 33 anda lock washer 35 being interposed between the boss and the nut. The nutis held captive on the bolt as by deforming the end of the thread on thebolt. The jaws 3 and 5 may be opened to receive a line wire by threadingthe nut away from the jaw 5, and closed to clamp on a line wire receivedbetween the jaws by threading the nut toward the jaw 5, thereby to swingthe jaws together. As the nut is threaded toward the lower jaw, theconvex end 29 of the boss 27 rides nicely on the washer 33.

At 37 is shown an electrical connector member in the form of a bailhaving a U-shaped main part with inward extensions 39 at the ends of thearms of the U in the plane of the U, and havingspaced-apart end portions41 extending parallel to one another from the ends of extensions 39 in aplane at an angle to the plane of the U. The bail, as illustrated, isbent from a single length of a rod of a metal which is a good electricalconductor, such as copper. The upper jaw 3 of the clamp is provided witha pair of tongues 43, integral with the jaw, extending upward onopposite sides of the jaw and on opposite sides of the bolt head 21.These tongues are reinforced in the lower portions by integral ribs 45,their upper ends, however, being unreinforced so that they may be bentover upon the bolt head. The end of the upper jaw 3 toward the pivot pinis formed at its opposite sides with upwardly extending flanges 47,these flanges being spaced from the adjacent edges of the tongues. Thebail 37 is detachably mounted on the upper jaw of the clamp inelectrically conductive relation thereto with its extensions 39extending between the flanges 47 and the adjacent edges of the tongues,and with its end portions 41 extending under the bolt head 21 onopposite sides of the shank of the bolt, between the shankand thetongues, the U-shaped part of the bail extending downward and outwardfrom the pivot pin end of the clamp (see Fig. 3). The upper ends of thetongues 43 are bent over upon the bolt head, as indicated at 49, to holdthe bolt in fixed position relative to the upper jaw 3 and also to holdthe bail ends 41 clamped between the bolt head and the upper jaw. Theflanges 47 form means engageable by the inward extensions 39 of the bailfor preventing disengagement of the bail from the upper jaw. The bailends 41 extend on opposite sides of an upstanding car 51 formedintegrally with the upper jaw 3 on the side of the bolt head towards thefree end of the jaw. The car 51 is adapted for engagement with the headof the bolt to prevent rotation of the bolt. Tongues 43, of course, alsoprevent rotation of the bolt.

The clamp 1 is applied to a hot overhead line wire by inserting the nut31 in a socket wrench on the end of a hot line stick, the jaws of theclamp being opened. The entire clamp is then lifted by means of the hot:stick and applied to the line wire. The stick is then used to rotate thenut to thread it toward the lower jaw 5, and thereby to cause the jaws 3and 5 to clamp on the line wire. After the clamp 1 has been applied tothe line wire as above described, a tap may be made by applying a hotline clamp 53 having a tap-off wire 55 attached thereto to the lower barportion of the U-shapedpartpf the bail, as illustratedin Fig. 3. Theauxiliary hot line clamp 53 shown in Fig. 3 is of the type disclosed inU. S. Patent 2,506,010. Any other suitable type of hot line clampadapted to be applied to the bail by a hot line stick may be used. Nospeeific description of the auxiliary hot line ciairTp is given becausethe details of this c'l'a'nip are not essential so far as this inventionis concerned, and those skilled iii the art "will readily be able toselect -a type of auxiliary hot line clamp suitable for the purpose.

By following the above procedure, any eating that may occur will occurbetween the auxiliary hot line clamp and the bail. If such arcing shouldseverely damage the bail, the clamp 1 ma be removed from the line wire Lusing a socket wrench type of hot line stick to turn the nut 31 toloosen the clamp 3; and '5. This may be done either with the auxiliaryhot line clar'np remaining applied to the bail, or the auxiliary hotline clamp may be first removed before the clamp 1 is removed. Then thetongues '43 !h3f3? be beht back to fiee the head 'of the bolt, ftoe'nable the damaged bail to be removed and anew bail applied. After thenew-bail has been properly positioned, 'the bolt is rte-fastened bybending over the ends 6f the tongues.

Fig. illustrates an alternative type of clamp nut,

designated 57, that ihay be used 'ihste'ad or the nut 31. As shown, thenut 57 isfbi'rfied to ha e a downwardly extending eye 59 adapted fro-receive a hook on the end of a hook 'typ'e hot line stick. Where nut 57is used, it is also held captive on the bolt 19, p

In view of the above, it 'will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changescould be made in the above 'constructiohs' withoutdeparting from the {scope 'of the "in'vention, it is intended that allmatter contained imttre above description or shown in 'the "ac'c'onianym drawing :shall be interpreted as illus'tfative and not in alimiting sense. Iela'irn: 4 1. A hot line c'lafn'p comprisihg 'a pair ofelectrically conductive clamp jaws, a 'clarnp bolt extending through thejaws having a head at one end outward offon'e jaw and a nut threaded onits other end outward of the other jaw, an electrically cenducrive bailclamped between the head of the bolt and saiderre jaw for applicationthereto of an auxiliary tap-'o'fi clamp, and iire'ans on said one jawfor releasably holding the bolt in fixed position relative thereto andholding the bail clamped between the bolt head and said one jaw.

2. A hot line clamp comprising upper and lower electrically conductiveclar'np .jaW's, a clamp boit extending through the jaws having a headabove the jup'per aw and a nut threaded on the bolt below the l'owe'rjaw, an electrically conductive bail clamped between the head of thebolt and the upper jaw, and tongues on the upper jaw bent over the headof the bolt f0'r.1'eleasab1y holding the bolt in 'fixed'positionrelative to the upper aw and holding the bail clamped between the bolthead and the upper jaw. V

'3. A hot line clamp comprising upper and lower electrically conductivecl-amp .jaw's pivotally "connected tog'ether at one end, a clamp holtextending through the jaws having a head "above the upper jaw and a nutthreaded on the bolt below the lowerjaw, said jaws being adapted forclamping a line wire therebe'tween on 'the side of the bolt opposite thepivot connection of the jaws, an electrically conductivebail having endportions clamped between the head of the 'bolt and the upper jaw, with aU-shaped art extending -'aownwara and outward at the pivot end of thejaws, and tongues on the ,upper jaw bent over the head of the bolt forreleasably holding the bolt in fixed position relative to the upper jawand holding the ends of the bail clamped between the bolt head and theupper jaw.

4. A hot line clamp comprising upper and lower electrically conductiveclamp jaw's 'pivotally connected together at one end,;a clamp boltextending through the jaws having a head above the upper jaw and a nutthreaded on the bolt below the lower jaw, said jaws being adapted forclamping a line wire therebetween on the side of the bolt opposite thepivot connection of the .jaws, an electrically conductive bail having aU-shaped main part with inward extensions at the ends of the arms of theU and with spaced-apart end portions extending from the ends of theextensions in 'a plane at an angle to the plane of the U, the endportions being clamped between thehead of thebolt and the upper jaw,with the U-shaped part extending downward and outward at the pivot end"of the jaws, tongues on the upperja'w on opposite sides ofthe bolt headbent over the bolt head for releasably holding the bolt fixed positionrelative to the upper jaw and holding the ends "of the. bail clampedbetween fthebolt head and the upper jaw, theend 'po'r tions of the bail"extending between the sides of the bolt and the tongues, and fme'ans onthe upper'jaw spaced from the edges of the tongues toward the pivotconnec: tion 'of the jaws engag'eabl'e by the inward extensions of thebail for preventing disengagement of the bail from the upper jaw. 1 l 15. A hot line 'ci'arnp comprising a pair or electricall'y conductiveclamp jaws, a clamp bolt extend-ing through the jaws having ahead at oneend outward of one .jaw and a nut threaded on its end outward of theother fjaw for movingjthe jaws toward one another for attachrrteht to aline "wire acceptable laterally between IhfijfilWS on one sideof'th'ebolt, ahd an electrically 'ebnjdil'c't'ive coil;- nector 'rner hbercomprising a 'ro'db'en't to form a bail 'andjha'vingendfportionsreceived between the head bf the bolt and said one jaw tor holding it tosaid one jaw V and an auxiliary tap=oif cl'arnp receiving portion offsetacceptance of a line wire between the jaws. v

I 5, further from the jaws and positioned so a's no't to obstructlateral 6. A h' t line clamp as set forth f laim comprising means on's'aidone jaw 'releasablyengaging the bolt andholding it against axialmovement with the said end portions of the bail lclarnpejd between thehead of the bolt [and the said one jaw, said means being dis engageabl'efrom the belt for releasing the hail from said one jaw.

References Cited in the tile or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS *Da-teNumber H Name W p I 1,241,756 Nielsen Oe't,,2, 11 917 1,4915 17 BushMay. 13, 192-11 1,500,498 Johnson July 8; 1924 1 5 499 b ns ---V- yjg 2.1,542,680 Eberling June' 16, 1925 1,964,511 "Grover June 26 19342,114,940 Rudd "Apr. 19, 1 938 2,156,013 Graves Apr. 25, 1 939 2333 d yM 3! -2; 1942 2,370,857 Gunzburger Mar. f6, 1945 2,426,857 Birke'nmaierSept. 2, 1 947 2,506,010 Birkenmaiernn May 2, 1950

